Lando Norris blocked from answering questions on F1 regulations after calling new cars ‘the worst’

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Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris was prevented from discussing the controversial new regulations in a recent interview with The Guardian. Norris has been strongly critical of the 2026 rules in the early months of the season.

After just one qualifying session in Australia, Norris said that F1 had gone from ‘the best cars ever made’ to ‘the worst’. Many drivers have complained that they are no longer able to push flat-out on a Saturday.

They are also being forced to use unnatural techniques to charge the battery, but even that doesn’t prevent them running out of electrical energy at the end of long straights as ‘superclipping’ kicks in.

Lando Norris was happy to discuss F1 regulations, but his management wouldn’t let him

Norris was interviewed by Donald McRae ahead of the Laureus World Sports awards on Monday, where he was named Breakthrough of the Year.

McRae, a Guardian journalist, says Norris’ management told him certain subjects were off limits, including the regulations and his relationship with George Russell.

Should F1 make small tweaks to the rules, rather than major changes?

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10 minutes before the end of the interview, McRae tried to ask about the rules because he felt it was important for fans to hear Norris’ perspective. His manager, listening in over the phone, reiterated that the McLaren driver wouldn’t be answering such questions.

Norris said he was happy to answer, but another member of his management team, who was in the room, prevented him from doing so.

F1 isn’t censoring the drivers, but it is putting them under pressure

Coming into the season, F1 drivers were asked to give the regulations time before making a firm judgement. But even in pre-season testing, some, most notably Verstappen, were scathing in their criticism.

Juan Pablo Montoya says Verstappen should have been fined for his comments. The Red Bull driver has compared the sport to Mario Kart, and Montoya feels this is disrespectful.

The FIA have not shown any inclination to punish drivers for speaking out, even if it were possible.

But F1 bosses did seek a meeting with Verstappen after his outburst in pre-season testing. They are trying to control the narrative as much as they can, but it’s proving extremely difficult.

Indeed, F1’s official X account even appeared to hide replies criticising the perceived artificiality of the racing after the Australian GP.

In China, F1 was accused of trying to deceive the audience by disguising the effect of ‘superclipping’ on the car’s speed.

Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix at the start of next month, several tweaks have been made to the regulations. While they won’t transform the formula, they are unanimously seen by the teams as a step in the right direction.